Studies in the past have shown that wolves are smarter than domesticated dogs when it comes to solving spatial problems, and now new research has shown that dingoes also solve the problems well.The dingo is considered a “pure” prehistoric dog, which was brought to Australia tens of thousands of years ago by the Aborigines. While they have in the past been associated with humans, they have adapted to surviving “wild” in the Australian outback.

The dingo lies somewhere between the wolf, its ancient ancestor, and the domestic or pet dog, and has cognitive differences between the two. There has been little research done on dingoes, even though studies would aid in the understanding of the evolution of dogs, and it was unknown whether the dingo was more “wolf-like” or “dog-like”. Researchers in South Australia have now subjected the Australian dingo (Canis dingo) to the classic “detour task,” which has been used by previous researchers to assess the abilities of wolves (Canis lupus) and domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) to solve non-social, spatial problems.

The detour task involves placing a treat behind a transparent or wire mesh fence. The dog can see the food but cannot get to it directly and has to find its way along the fence and through a door and then double back to get the food. More

The Connecticut woman whose pet chimpanzee viscously mauled her friend has died, her lawyer said Tuesday.Sandy Herold died Monday night of a ruptured aortic aneurysm, according to attorney Robert Golger.

“Ms. Herold had suffered a series of heartbreaking losses over the last several years, beginning with the death of her only child, then her husband, then her beloved chimp Travis, as well as the tragic maiming of friend and employee Charla Nash,” Golger said in a statement. “In the end, her heart, which had been broken so many times before, could take no more.”

Herold was the owner of the 200-pound chimp, named Travis, which went crazy in Stamford, Conn., in February of last year and attacked Charla Nash. The animal tore apart her face and hands, ripping off her lips and eyelids, and leaving her blind and severely disfigured.More

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The one caveat that comes with owning the cutest dog on the planet? Dealing with her messy eating habits. My French bulldog, Eloise, would be quite happy if I served her food by dumping it all over my kitchen floor. And the way mealtime has played out in my house lately, you’d think that was exactly what I was doing.

Until I got the Hugx pet bowl ($60). Yes, that space-age contraption pictured above is a dish that your pet can eat out of. The modern design allows for the bowl to be brought closer to the animal, so they can eat at an angle. Instead of burying her face in the bowl to get every last morsel, Eloise can now chow down at a level that prevents messes.More

A girl, Brierley Howard, has been reunited with her pet dog, Iggy, almost five years after it vanished. The 12 year-old was overjoyed when she was told that Iggy the labrador had turned up 130 miles away.Iggy was an 18-month-old puppy when he disappeared in August 2005. Brierley and her brother Jasper, now 14, were devastated. Their mum and dad Karen and Eric believed he had been stolen.

But the family, from Balladen, in Rawtenstall, Lancs, are celebrating after Iggy was spotted wandering the streets in Leicester and taken to a vet.The vet discovered Iggy was fitted with a microchip and he has now been reunited with Brierley and her family.More

Annette Edwards is the owner of Amy a three-year-old bunny – the largest bunny in the world. She is 4 ft in length and weighs 56 pounds and thanks to her appetite she is certain to beat the previous record holder. Roberto owned by Mrs Edwards .

In her quest to breed the world’s biggest rabbit, Annette Edwards has struck 24-carrot gold.Three-year-old Amy, a Continental Giant, now weighs three and a half stone and is 4ft from the tip of her nose to her bumper bobtail.Huge: Amy the rabbit, from Worcester, weighs in at almost three stone – making her the world’s biggest. She is pictured with her owner Annette Edwards

Thanks to her huge appetite, she is almost a stone heavier and six inches longer than the previous record holder Roberto, also owned by Mrs Edwards.Both of them dwarf a previous pretender to the throne, a German chap nicknamed Herr Rabbit which was officially a mere 22lb and 3ft 1in.It won’t be long, however, before Amy has to surrender her title.She and Roberto have been busily breeding in their reinforced hutch at their home in Worcester, and Mrs Edwards is confident that one of their 32 offspring will turn out even larger.More

Annette Edwards is the owner of Amy a three-year-old bunny – the largest bunny in the world. She is 4 ft in length and weighs 56 pounds and thanks to her appetite she is certain to beat the previous record holder. Roberto owned by Mrs Edwards .

In her quest to breed the world’s biggest rabbit, Annette Edwards has struck 24-carrot gold.Three-year-old Amy, a Continental Giant, now weighs three and a half stone and is 4ft from the tip of her nose to her bumper bobtail.Huge: Amy the rabbit, from Worcester, weighs in at almost three stone – making her the world’s biggest. She is pictured with her owner Annette Edwards

Thanks to her huge appetite, she is almost a stone heavier and six inches longer than the previous record holder Roberto, also owned by Mrs Edwards.Both of them dwarf a previous pretender to the throne, a German chap nicknamed Herr Rabbit which was officially a mere 22lb and 3ft 1in.It won’t be long, however, before Amy has to surrender her title.She and Roberto have been busily breeding in their reinforced hutch at their home in Worcester, and Mrs Edwards is confident that one of their 32 offspring will turn out even larger.More